This invention relates to a history sensitive help control method and system for displaying a help message in a data processor with reference to the history of past statuses.
In interactive data processors, the help function for displaying information, such as how to use a command according to a user's specific input request, is widely used.
In this case, the contents of a help message to be displayed are not fixed, but more appropriate information is displayed by changing the contents of a message according to a current status (for example, a cursor position or a command mode) so as to improve the system's human interface. Related equipment is indicated, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open 1987-90756, 1986-190658, and 1987-251962.
The above prior art makes it possible to select a help message to be displayed only on the basis of a current status of the equipment. However, the information of only the current status is not sufficient for determining the information which is really required by the user, and so an appropriate message is not always displayed.